Open Your Eyes
by Nataniki
Summary: Sacrifice is hard, but necessary. A strange wolf visits Kiba as he lays dying under the moon, surrounded by unopened moonflower seeds.


Softly, snow fell from the gloomy sky. Spiraling down from heaven the flakes settled on the barren landscape, covering everything, blotting out the past.

Slowly, the snow began covering the body of a tan wolf, his fur clotted with blood, his yellow eyes staring up into the empty sky. The snow coated the bloodstains that lay beside him, slowing turning pink, then finally white. The human he died to save was near, his own blood mixing with the wolf's.

Ever so quietly, a figure moved closer and closer to the scene of death. Silent and still, a white wolf stood above the fallen pair, cool amber eyes looking down in sadness at what had been lost. For a few moments, it seemed the wolf was simply a snowy statue, another part of the frigid landscape. Lowering its head, breathing in the fallen pup's scent, remembering the identity of its lost brother. Amber eyes opening, the wolf gave a quick lick to the dead young wolf, and turned to the human.

Circling slowly, the wolf looked down at the human tenderly, instantly knowing what had happened. This human had feared wolves, even hated them, but loved them too, for their companionship, their loyalty. He's forgiven what had been done to him in the end, for he knew he could not fault an entire species. Just as you cannot judge others by a single encounter, so he had learned about wolves. Pressing its nose gently to his face, the coarse hairs brushing against the skin of its nose, the wolf whispered thanks to the man.

Lifting its head to look up the great mountain before it, the wolf began its journey up. Slowly but surely it climbed. The wolf's steps slowed, looking down at a pair of another of its kin, the wolf's amber eyes smiled. Together forever, the pair lay beside one another, their bodies growing cold. The wolf bowed lowly, knowing the two of them would be happy forever in death. As it had done with the previous wolf corpse, the wolf lowered its head and gave both of the dead wolfs a careful, gentle lick. The wind whipped away the wolf's words; you are forgiven.

Higher and higher the wolf climbed, until it came across another body, crippled by its fight. Again, lowering its head the wolf licked. It whispered forgiveness to the dead wolf; his pack trusted him, and he could trust them.

Up and up into the nothingness, the wolf continued, until it came to a large crater. The wind howled, but there was no other sound. Carefully, the wolf began it's decent, choosing its footing carefully. After the moon had made some distance in the sky, the wolf finally silently leapt to the craft floor, landing lightily on its paws.

Seeds lay scattered about the snowy floor, and in the center lay another white wolf, still and blood stained, for here the snow could not hide the events that had passed. Step by step the wolf drew closer, in no hurry. Even as the white wolf walked, it left no paw prints on the cold earth, nothingness its only trail.

By scent, Kiba knew that someone was coming, but he was too tired to care, it was not Darcia that much he knew. A feeling of lost swept over him, he had failed, paradise was not here, and he had failed.

The white wolf stood above him, and Kiba felt a knowing grow within him, this wolf would open paradise, not him, he'd lost, he'd-…

"Kiba, open your eyes."

The broken wolf obeyed, albeit slowly, and before him stood the most striking she-wolf he'd ever seen.

Her amber eyes looked lovingly into his golden ones, her fur sleek and beautiful, longed legged with delicate paws. But there was an air of power to her too, something like a fire within, as hot as the sun itself. She moved silently, her whole body fluid with grace, closer to Kiba so he need not strain his voice.

"Who are you?" Kiba breathed, not comprehending where this she-wolf had come from, or why she stood before him now.

The wolf's expressive eyes smiled knowingly. "I am here to open paradise." She cooed. "Your pack has already passed on, and shall be reborn with the world." She lowered her head and gave him a gentle lick. "As shall you…"

The moment he felt her contact, the she-wolf's appearance changed dramatically. Her fur, just as glossy and pure as before, now seemed to glow with an inner light, as a star had been captured within her. Intricate designs in red flowered across her body, her tail fading into an inky black. The most conspicuous thing about her was a large, flaming disk that lay on her back, that seemed to be placed there with no means of support.

"Who are you?" Kiba asked again.

The she-wolf smiled. "I am Amaterasu, goddess of the sun, though sometimes, I am also a wolf. I heal things," Kiba's body tensed at this, "such as worlds. I have the power to change the landscape."

Amaterasu's expression suddenly got very sad. "But I could not heal the land until you gave me a means, brave wolf. I needed you, and without you, the world would have fallen into destruction." Kiba struggled with consciousness, knowing what she said was important and he should listen, yet he couldn't find the strength.

She brought her head down again and pressed her nose against his; a chaste wolf-kiss. Kiba instantly relaxed, warmth spreading through his tired body. "I thank you for your sacrifice, and for this reason I shall give you a new life, where you can be happy."

Kiba didn't understand though, if this was going to happen, everything was going to be okay, then why did this she-wolf look so sad?

"Good luck." She whispered, her tongue gently caressing his fur, and then she was gone.

And Kiba was alone.

Finally, the snow reached him, covering him in a thin white powder. Kiba could feel his lifeblood flowing out of him. He'd imagined it; he was convinced.

As he slowly closed his eyes, the seeds around him took root, and began to sprout into moonflowers, and slowly, the ice he lay on began to melt.

And Kiba sank into blissful nothingness.

There is no such thing as paradise.


End file.
